Part 16 (1/2)

His rescuer continued to stare at him. Was his savior, considering his palpable great age, senile? Kirk hoped not. He badly wanted to ask a number of questions. As he debated how to proceed, the one who had rescued him finally spoke. There was uncertainty in his voice as he squinted at the still exhausted human.

”Jim?”

Kirk's lower jaw dropped. ”How-how'd you know my name?”

The Vulcan stared back at him, dark eyes that had seen much searching the human's stunned visage. ”How did you find find me? Does Starfleet know of my presence?” me? Does Starfleet know of my presence?”

Kirk hardly heard him. ”How do you know my name?” ”How do you know my name?”

No smile in response, no expression at all-or was that just a slight upturning at the corners of the Vulcan's mouth? A weakening of logic confronted by overwhelming emotion?

”I have been, and always shall be, your friend.”

It was a nice sentiment, particularly here and now, but instead of warmth and recognition an aching Kirk felt only bafflement. Maybe the Vulcan confronting him was was bordering on the senile. For saving him from the predator Kirk's grat.i.tude knew no bounds, but that did not mean he was ready to connive in an old man's fantasies. bordering on the senile. For saving him from the predator Kirk's grat.i.tude knew no bounds, but that did not mean he was ready to connive in an old man's fantasies.

”Look, I'm sorry. I don't know you. The only Vulcan I know isn't exactly a buddy.” buddy.”

It was no consolation that this response seemed to render the oldster as confused as the individual he had just rescued. He seemed to retreat into himself, pondering, contemplating, calculating. Or maybe just fading away-Kirk couldn't tell. The oldster's next observation, when it finally came, was worse than confusing. It was frightening.

What made it worse was that the Vulcan recited it all with utter a.s.surance.

”You are are James T. Kirk. James, after your mother's father. Tiberius, after your father's father. Your father is George, as is your elder brother. Your mother's name is Winona. You were born in the year twenty-two thirty-three on a farm in Iowa...” James T. Kirk. James, after your mother's father. Tiberius, after your father's father. Your father is George, as is your elder brother. Your mother's name is Winona. You were born in the year twenty-two thirty-three on a farm in Iowa...”

Kirk just stared back at the specter who had saved him. ”I was born on a s.h.i.+p. s.h.i.+p. How d'you know these things about me? Who told you about my family, my past? Who How d'you know these things about me? Who told you about my family, my past? Who are are you?” you?”

By way of response the Vulcan gestured toward the back of the cave. ”We need to get away from the entrance, where it is colder and where our scents can be detected. We have much to discuss...”

By the light of a fire and after Kirk had ravenously devoured food provided by his mysterious host, that worthy proceeded to explain himself. Had he told his guest that he was the reincarnation of an ancient Terran deity, Kirk would have been no less flabbergasted than he was by the actual truth.

”Though much of what I am about to tell you will be difficult to accept,” the oldster began, ”the first thing you need to know is that I am Spock. I am Spock. One hundred and twenty-nine years senior to the Vulcan you know from your days at Starfleet Academy.” One hundred and twenty-nine years senior to the Vulcan you know from your days at Starfleet Academy.”

Kirk considered carefully. His response was, if not eloquent, characteristically terse. Under the circ.u.mstances, he could have been excused.

”Bulls.h.i.+t.”

”I understand your skepticism.” The individual calling himself Spock responded to Kirk's challenge without so much as a hint of a smile. That, at least, accorded with his claim. ”The odds of us meeting across s.p.a.ce-time are so improbable that at the moment of actual confrontation I too wondered if I was dreaming.” Pausing, he looked away. ”I have had too much time to dream, and have dreamed too much.” He went silent.

As Kirk studied the face of the being seated across from him, dawning realization mixed with rising astonishment. ”It's not possible. It's just not. But it is is you. I'll be d.a.m.ned.” you. I'll be d.a.m.ned.”

”While it is entirely possible that both of us may be, it is remarkably most pleasing to see you again, old friend. Especially after the events of today.”

Kirk was taken aback afresh. ”'Old friend,' sir?” He shook his head in disbelief. ”I don't know how you know what you know. But I don't know you and if you are Spock we're not friends. You hate hate me. You marooned me here for mutiny.” His expression twisted. ”Or for what you and you alone decided was mutiny. Or incipient mutiny. Or insubordination or whatever rationalization you concocted in that perpetually rationalizing brain of yours.” me. You marooned me here for mutiny.” His expression twisted. ”Or for what you and you alone decided was mutiny. Or incipient mutiny. Or insubordination or whatever rationalization you concocted in that perpetually rationalizing brain of yours.”

Now it was the Vulcan's turn to looked mystified. ”Mutiny? You are not the captain of the Enterprise Enterprise?”

Kirk was utterly baffled. ”What kind of perverse Vulcan game is this? You're You're the captain. Pike was taken hostage. We have no idea if he's dead or alive.” the captain. Pike was taken hostage. We have no idea if he's dead or alive.”

This information caused something to gel within the Vulcan's thoughts as disparate bits of information came together.

”Nero.” Spock's expression tightened ever so slightly. ”He is a remarkably-troubled Romulan.” Spock's expression tightened ever so slightly. ”He is a remarkably-troubled Romulan.”

Had a human spoken the name, it would have emerged as a curse. Uttered by the old man in the cave, it was, despite all its menacing connotations, just another name.

”Yes.” At least they agreed on At least they agreed on something, something, Kirk thought. ”We left Vulcan-the Vulcan system-to rejoin Starfleet Kirk thought. ”We left Vulcan-the Vulcan system-to rejoin Starfleet yesterday.” yesterday.”

His host went silent, once more lost in deep thought. Studying him, Kirk was ambivalent. He wanted, he needed needed to know what was going on in that venerable mind. At the same time, the thought of what he might find there unsettled him more than he cared to admit. to know what was going on in that venerable mind. At the same time, the thought of what he might find there unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

What he could not realize was that he was about to get his wish-or realize his fear.

Rising from where he had been sitting by the fire, his unlikely rescuer approached and extended a hand toward Kirk's face. ”Please. Allow me. It will be easier, faster, and more articulate than talking.”

His reflexes revived by the food, Kirk thrust out a hand to restrain the reaching fingers. ”What're you doing? The last time you came at me like that you put me out cold.”

His rescuer paused. ”In the wrong hands the mind-meld is potentially lethal. In my culture it's a way of sharing experiences. You-leastwise, another you-already know that. I repeat it to the you of this time frame.”

Time frame? Still Kirk hesitated. The memory of the nerve pinch the other Spock (the younger Spock? the alternative Spock?) had delivered on board the bridge was still fresh in his mind.

”You swear you're not going to knock me out and store me for food or something?”

”If I wished to do so, it would already have been done. I promise that you will remain aware throughout the exchange. It is impossible to convey information to the unconscious.” Once more the barest suggestion of a smile played around the deeply lined face. ”I speak from experience when I say that you would make an especially tough meal for anyone to digest.”

Kirk stared back at him. ”d.a.m.ned if I'm not starting to believe you.” He readied himself. ”All right-go ahead. With whatever it is I'm supposed to be familiar with.” He released the oldster's hand.

Gently, the elder Vulcan placed his fingers against Kirk's face, fingers to cheek and temple, seeking particular nerve endings, probing for contact. As he did so, he whispered an ancient mantra of his kind.

”Our minds-one and together.”

His eyes snapped shut. At the same time Kirk twitched as if an electric charge had been shot through his entire body.

Billions of stars. Swaths of nebulae, brilliant and flaring. The cosmos revealed. Infinitely vast-and yet all contained and restrained within the dazed but aware mind of James T. Kirk. And permeating it all, another presence besides his own. Another intelligence, beside him and yet with him, speaking solemnly.

”One hundred and twenty-nine years from now a star will explode and threaten all civilization in this part of the galaxy. That's where I'm from, Jim-the future. I was amba.s.sador to Romulus. The Federation was mining in the vicinity of a nearby star when it unexpectedly went supernova. The consequences were predicted to destroy everything in its vicinity.

”As amba.s.sador, I promised the Romulans I would find a way to save their planet. I returned to Vulcan and asked the Science Academy and the Federation to take immediate action. We outfitted our newest, fastest s.h.i.+p. Utilizing Red Matter, I would attempt to create a black hole that would absorb the exploding star and its expanding field of deadly radiation. I was en route to do so when the unthinkable happened. The rate of propagation from the supernova accelerated suddenly and at a velocity previously unrecorded for that type of exploding star. It destroyed Romulus.

”I could no longer save their homeworld, but I could still stop the expanding supernova. I had little time. Before the first bow wave destroyed my s.h.i.+p I had to extract the Red Matter and shoot it into the supernova. And it worked. The supernova was neutralized by the black hole. All of the radiation and energized particulate matter it was blowing outward fell back and became part of the accretion disk.

”As I began my sad return journey home I was intercepted. He called himself Nero-last of the Romulan Empire. In my attempt to escape from him, both of us were pulled into the black hole. Nero's s.h.i.+p went through first-back through time. So he was the first to arrive in this time frame. Nero and his crew spent the next twenty-five years waiting for my arrival. For my emergence from the wormhole.

”But what was years for Nero was only seconds for me. I went through the black hole. When I arrived here in this day and time, he was waiting for me. He blamed the Federation for not stopping the supernova and held me, who had promised to help, responsible for the loss of his world. He captured my vessel and spared my life for one reason: so that I would know his pain. He beamed me down here so that I could observe his vengeance. As he was helpless to save his planet, so I would be helpless to save mine. Billions of lives lost, Jim-because of me. Because I failed.

”And though the means on Delta Vega exists to contact the Federation, it is intermittent. In the end there was nothing I could do to stop him. The local communications facilities proved inadequate and I was unable to issue a warning in time.”